Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Fighting Coastal Over-Development in NC

A few months ago North Carolina Sea Grant proposed the creation of a Waterfront Access Task Force to collaborate with the NC Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center to help our state keep its coastal heritage in the face of ever-increasing real estate development pressure. Monday NC Sea Grant hosted a forum on North Carolina's changing waterfronts in New Bern to share ideas and look at ways other states are responding to similar challenges. Monroe County, Florida even resorted to a moratorium on waterfront redevelopment until a permanent solution could be found. NC Sea Grant is hopeful that North Carolina will implement a strategy similar to Maine's. Maine passed bonds to purchase waterfront land for public use and instituted a land-use based tax valuation system to combat skyrocketing coastal property values. A similar bill was introduced in the NC House to create tax breaks for working waterfronts, water facing land that is primarily used to provide access to or support the conduct of commercial fishing activities. More on Monday's meeting is available from the Jacksonville Daily News.

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